I have a MP-150 Nagoaka, I think it is possibly the best cartridge for the money. I had it with a Schiitt Mani which was absolutely fantastic combo, but swapped it for a Well Tempered RIAA stage which is totally incredible for not much money. I really can't see me upgrading tbh, but how many times do we say that!!. Great selection of cartridges there. Many thanks, Phil
Thank you for the wonderful information. MP 150 user here. I’d like to try something different, so this info is very helpful for me. I thought I had subscribed to your channel before, I am not a follower. Look forward to more content. Thank you again.
It is always great to hear other's impressions of phono cartridges and as you point out this is perhaps the largest variable in an analog system. A phono cartridge can change the overall sound of any system both for the good and the not so good. I currently use an AT VM740ML although I have a great Goldlring 1042 and several MCs as well. I like to mix it up and quite frankly I feel that some recordings are better served by a specific cartridge. Thank you again for your thoughts and they mirror my experiences with most of the cartridges you spoke about.
Thank you for watching. I think in video I said that I lack expiriance with audio technica and grado, and I will like to change that in future. But changing phono catridge to accommodate different music is a pro audiophile move. And i applaud that man.
A few years ago the Denon DL 103R was $299 - and that was the price for many years before they massively increased it (here in the USA). The current price of $500USD is ridiculous.
That is not just denon, it is many diffrent hifi manufacturers. When recession started and global crises, the hifi gear prices have gone up. It is what it is, but it is bad.
Great cart choices, and excellent descriptions of their tonal qualities. I own or have owned 1/2 a dozen or so of the ones you mentioned, all mounted to the same company’s headshells, (a bit OCD, I know…). I’ve tried the Nagaoka MP-110, the MP-500, but ended up going with the MP-200. It just seems like the sweet spot in their line of carts. That and my DL103r are my daily drivers, the 200 mounted to a Jelco HS-25 headshell, and the Denon on one of their anniversary headshells. For Goldring, I tried the 1042 and 1006, but went with the 1012 with the nude hyper elliptical stylus profile. I had a Hana ML for a bit as well as an Ortofon Bronze. I love Grado carts, and have owned many throughout the years, and recently tried the Opus3 then to the Platinum3 low output. Going through as many different carts as possible is of course the best way to find the sound(s) you’re seeking, but can unfortunately be prohibitively expensive as well. The Tavish Classic tube based phono pre is an excellent piece of gear, as it just takes a switch from MM to MC to change carts. Besides that, my EAR 834p no expense spared clone tube phono stage I built sounds amazing with MM carts, and adding a SUT before it really lets LOMC carts shine. I’ve been a bit obsessive with vinyl playback over the past almost 40 yrs, and have my 1st main stereo deck, but have enough mono records to justify adding a 2nd mono deck with an AT33MONO cart mounted to it. Again, great choice of really nice carts that aren’t outrageously expensive.
A bloody amazing post. Love your energy and expiriance with this carts. I hope that in future you will listen to even more great catridges. And thanks for watching my review it is appriaciated.
@@HIFIDaydreaming Hi there 👋 Thanks so much for the kind words. I wasn’t sure if I was overstepping my boundaries with too much information, but then again, the vid was based on cartridges of which I have experience with over the past 30+ years, so I’m am very familiar regarding and their sonic qualities. As of now, I’ve got approximately 30 carts I know pretty well, all mounted to headshells. There’s plenty I didn’t mention…lol One more thing (sorry…lol), FWIW, a lot of mono carts aren’t true mono carts, and the R + & L + are only summed together internally in the body of the cart. An easy way to make your own “mono” cart is to wrap some very thin copper wire around the R + & L +. By doing so, you’re just strapping the R + & L + together and just summing it externally instead of internally. There are some real mono carts such as the AT33MONO and I believe the Ortofon 2M mono, but not 100% sure of the latter. Stereo / mono switches on amps, preamps, or phono stages or even external switches can be used and they work. They just don’t seem to sound quite as good as a mono cart, IMHO. Using one assures that from the cart to the speakers, the signal is purely mono. Ok…and…..I’m done! 😂 Apologies for another long comment. Thanks again! Great video. 🔊⭐️🎶💨
Thank you for your informative and insightful survey. May I suggest that you incorporate a test record, such as the Hi-Fi News Analogue Test LP? By providing tracking test information, your subjective observations could be supplemented by objective results. You wouldn't need any additional test equipment - just the record itself. Doing so would place your channel head and shoulders above other phono reviewers, as well as providing invaluable information for your viewers.
Hey Neward thank you for kind words, and thank you for watching. I am getting closer with every review to add with every review test results of HIFI gear. Your idea of news analog test LP is amazing. I am definitely gonna try in future to incorporate that in my phono reviews.
Thanks! I meant as middle child between 110 and 200. As a middle child in quality and value. And usually I like products that are in middle because I always belive they bring most value for money.
